Entertainment Central

Macy's exciting holiday tradition will kick off with grandeur and festivity on Thursday as the 85th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade heads down the same route as last year, starting from 7th Street & Central Park West and culminating at 7th Avenue & 34th Street.

The Thanksgiving spectacle will feature:

• 15 giant character helium balloons
• 27 one-of-a-kind floats
• 800 cheering clowns
• 1,600 cheerleaders, dancers, singers and performers
• 44 novelty/ornament balloons, balloonheads and balloonicles
• 11 marching bands
• celebrity performers - Rodney Atkins, Big Apple Circus, Mary J. Blige, Cobra Starship, Neil Diamond, Michael Feinstein, The Fresh Beat Band, Cee Lo Green, Avril Lavigne, Shelby Lynne, Mannheim Steamroller, China Anne McClain, Scotty McCreery, Ingrid Michaelson, The cast and Muppets of Sesame Street, Savannah Outen, Power Rangers Samurai, Miss America 2011 Teresa Scanlan, Willard Scott, Straight No Chaser, US Naval Academy Glee Club, Johnny Weir and Zendaya.

2011 Macy's Day Parade Route

The 85th Macy's Thanksgiving Parade will start off 77th Street and Central Park West, going south on Central Park West. The parade will then turn east along Central Park South up to 7th Avenue. The parade will turn right and march down 7th Avenue to 42nd Street, then travel east along 42nd Street to 6th Avenue. At 6th Avenue, the parade will head south again and march to 34th Street/Herald Square.